Electrical terminal board for interconnecting components



P 8, 1965 M. TANNENBAUM ETAL 3,209,309

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL BOARD FOR INTERCONNECTING COMPONENTS Filed July 24,1962 United States Patent Keen, Colts Neck, NJ., Inc., Morganville,

The invention relates generally to electrical terminal boards and moreparticularly to terminal boards for electronic apparatus.

It is an object of the invention to provide a terminal board havingelectrically conducting resilient terminal clips to which variouselectrical and electronic components can be interconnected by solderingaccording to their preselected circuitry, the resilient terminal clipsbeing retained in recesses defined in a strip of insulating material andbeing insulated from each other by said material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal board in whichthe resilient terminal clips are locked in place on the insulating stripby pretensioning the terminal clips when inserted into the striprecesses thereby causing complementary parts of the terminals and stripto be biased into interlocking mechanical engagement.

Still another object of the invention is to provide electricallyconducting terminal clips that are retained in the recesses of theinsulating strip to provide heat-insulating air spaces there-between andthereby inhibit the heat of soldering from being substantiallytransmitted to the insulating strips.

Yet, another object of the invention is to provide adjustable mountingmeans for the terminal board that can be slidably positioned thereon toconform to variations in the complementary fastening structure withwhich engagement is required.

Other objects and features of the invention can be fully comprehendedfrom the ensuing description taken in conjunction with the drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a strip of insulating material having one edgerecessed,

FIG. 2 is a vertical end view of the insulating strip shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the resilient clips,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial side view as in FIG. 1 showing terminalclips in place in a plurality of recesses, and showing a mounting clampengaging the unrecessed edge of said strip,

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken approximately on the line 55 in FIG. 4,and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the mounting clamp showing the other endof the clamp engaged in a chassis structure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention comprises an elongatedinsulating strip 10 of insulating material having oppositely disposedlongitudinal edges 12 and 14 and oppositely disposed side faces 16 and18 extending respectively therebetween. The longitudinal edge 12 isrecessed with a plurality of U-shaped recesses 20, each of which definesopposite shoulders 22 adjacent the longitudinal edge 12. The bottoms 24of the recesses are rounded and the sides 26 and 28 extend parallel fromthe rounded bottoms 24 to the shoulders 22. The opposite side faces 16and 18 of the strip 10 are respectively grooved with longitudinalgrooves 30 and 32 adjacent the edge 14. The grooves 30, 32 are shown asbeing of V-shaped cross section. The portion of the strip in which thegrooves 30, 32 are formed is preferably thicker than the opposite edgeportion having the recesses 20.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, resilient metal clips 34, in which solderedconnections are made, have legs 36 and 38 that slopingly converge fromfree ends 40 and 42 to a common rounded junction 44 to define anapproximate U-shape. Side flanges 46 extend along the longitudinal edgesof each leg and are approximately normal thereto. The clips 34 aredimensioned so that they can be inserted in the recesses by flexing thefree ends 40 and 42 of the legs towards each other so as to slip pastthe shoulders 22 defined in the recess. When the pressure on the legs isreleased after the clip is inserted in the recess, the clip legs arespread apart, the free ends biased outwardly by spring tension to engageunder the shoulders 22, thereby locking the clip against coming out ofthe end of the recess. The flanges 46 on the sides of the outwardlybiased legs lock the clip from slipping out of either side of therecess. Thus, the clips are securely locked in the respective recesses.They can be removed only by pressing the free ends of the legs towardseach other sufliciently for the ends to clear the recess shoulders 22 orthe flanges 46 to clear the recess sides.

The rounded junction portions 44 of the clips are smaller than theadjoining rounded bottoms of the recesses, so that adjacent leg portionsof the clips are spaced from the sides of the recesses 20 to provideinsulating air spaces which substantially inhibit heat from solderingconnection to the terminal clips from being transmitted to theinsulating strip. If desired, outer portions of the legs of a clip mayalso fit loosely in the recess, the legs being spread apart justsumciently to prevent the ends from slipping from under the recessshoulders 22 and the flanges 46 from slipping through the recess.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, a mounting clamp 48 is shown attached tothe insulating strip 10 by a female end portion 50 engaging the edge 14and grooves 30 and 32 of the insulating strip 10, and to a chassis by anoppositely disposed male end portion 52 of the mounting clamp 48engaging in a hole 54 in a chassis structure 56. The female end of themounting clamp is slidable along the grooves 30 and 32 to position themounting clamp for the male end to engage in the hole 54 whichaccordingly can be drilled or punched where desired rather than inconformance with a preselected and inflexible dimension. This featurealso permits the mounting of terminal boards having any desired numberof recesses. The mounting clamps 48 are formed of resilient materialsuch as metal, but preferably are of a resilient insulating materialsuch as nylon or Teflon. The female end engaging the strip 10 isbifurcated to provide opposite fingers having V-shaped portions engagingin the grooves 30, 32. The distance between the fingers is normally lessthan the thickness of corresponding portions of the strip so that whenthe clamp is slipped on the strip, the fingers are spread apart andresiliently grip the strip to hold the strip firmly and securely. Themale end 52 of the clamp 48 is also bifurcated to provide spaced fingersseparated by a central recess. The outer surfaces of the fingers divergeand then converge to provide portions which are spaced apart a distancegreater than the width of the hole 54 in the chassis. When the male endof the clamp is inserted in a hole 54, the opposite fingers flex towardone another, but tend to spring apart so as to grip the opposite sidesof the hole and hold the clamp securely in place. Shoulders 58 on clampmembers 48 engage the face of the chassis portion 56 and co-operate withthe resilient fingers of the male end 52 to provide a firm mounting ofthe terminal board on the chassis. Two or more mounting clamps may beprovided for each terminal strip as desired.

In the manufacture of terminal boards in accordance With the invention,the elongated strip 10 is molded of an insulating material having highdielectric strength and also sufiicient mechanical strength to withstandthe intended service. While various plastic insulating materials may beused, it is preferred to form the insulating strip 10 from ceramicmaterial. The material is .molded to provide the configuration shown inthe drawings and after suitable curing, the strip is glazed and fired.Glazing is not required in the recesses 20, but it is not objectionableif the glaze extends over the edges into the recesses. To provideterminal strips of different lengths, the green strips may be cutbetween successive recesses into whatever lengths are desired.

The clips 34 shown in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5 are stamped from suitablemetal sheets or strips. For example, brass, silver or other suitablemetal may be used. The metal may be either homogeneous or plated asdesired. The clips are formed to the shape shown in FIG- URE 3 with thefree ends of the legs spaced apart a greater .distance than the width ofthe recesses. The clips are then inserted into the recesses, the legs ofthe clip being flexed toward one another to permit the clips .to enterthe recesses. They snap into place and are securely'locked in positionby engagement of the ends of the clips with the shoulders 22 of therecesses and engagement of the flanges 46 of the clips with oppositeside faces of the strip 10.

The mounting clamps or posts 48 are molded, stamped or otherwisesuitably formed of resilient material for example, nylon or Teflon andare assembled on the strip I by being slipped onto the strip in alongitudinal direction. Although the clamps grip the strips firmly, theycan be slipped longitudinally to any desired position so as tocorrespond to the position of holes punched in the chassis part- 56 onwhich the terminal board is to be mounted. The male ends 52 of the clampmembers 48 are then pressed into the holes 54 of the chassis 56 and snapinto place to hold the clamp members and the terminal strip securely. 1

The terminal strip is used by inserting the ends of two or more wiresinto a respective clip 34 and soldering, brazing or welding the wireends to one another and .to the clip. The spacing of leg portions of theclip from the sides of the recess as described above, permits the I clipto retain its resiliency so as to fit smaller wires and yet spread toaccept larger wires or more wires. The inner surface of the clip may, ifdesired, be coated with solder or other material having a lower fusionpoint than the body of the clip so as to facilitate soldering the wiresin the clip.

What we claim is:

1. An electrical terminal board comprising an'elon- 5 gated strip ofinsulating material having opposite edges being of substantially greaterwidth than thickness and being of substantially greater length thanwidth, means portion of said strip, said recesses extending transverselyand substantially parallel opposite side faces, said strip between saidside faces of the strip, each of said recesses' having approximatelyparallel side portions, a rounded bottom portion and a restricted mouthportion having a width less than the distance between said parallel sideportions and defining opposite should a e l ent U- defining a pluralityof recesses in one longitudinal edge 9 i shaped metal clip received ineach of said'recesses, said clip having opposite leg portions with freeend portions which in relaxed condition are spaced apart a greaterdistance than the distance between said parallel side portions of saidrecesses, said end portions being resiliently pressed toward each otherby the opposite sides of said recess when said clip is inserted in saidrecess, said clip being thereby pretensioned to press said end portionsresiliently against the sides of said recess, said free end portionsengaging said shoulders to lock said clip in said recess, said legportions having side flanges engaging the opposite side faces of saidstrip to prevent said clip from moving sidewise out of said recess, anda plurality of mounting posts each having a bifurcated end portionresiliently gripping the edge portion of said strip opposite saidrecesses, said strip having longitudinally extending ridges on itsopposite side faces adjacent said opposite edge portion and saidbifurcated end portion of each of said posts having portions engagingsaid ridges to retain said strip while permitting said posts to be movedfrictionally lengthwise of said strip to selected positions.

2. An electrical terminal board comprising an elongated strip ofinsulating material having opposite'longitudinal edges and substantiallyparallel opposite side faces; a plurality of recesses in one of saidlongitudinal edges, said recesses extending transversely of the stripbetween said side faces, each recess having a rounded bottom portion,approximately parallel side portions, and a restricted mouth portionhaving a width less than the distance between said side portions anddefining opposite shoulders; and a resilient U-shaped metal clipreceived in each recess, the free end portions of said clip being spacedapart in relaxed condition a distance great- .er than that between theside portions of said recess and being resiliently pressed toward eachother by said side portions of the recess, said clip being therebypretensioned to press said free end portions resiliently against theside portions of the recess, said free end portions engaging saidshoulders to lock the clip in the recess, and the leg portions of saidclip having parallel side flanges engaging theopposite side faces of thestrip to prevent the clip from moving sidewise out of the recess.

3. An electrical terminal board according to claim 2, in which therounded bottom portion of the clip is smaller than the rounded bottom ofthe recess, whereby the leg portions of the clip are spaced from theside por- 1,1/37 MacFadden 248-27 X 2,627,385 2/53- Tinnerman 248-272,846,672 '8/58 Henriessey 3392l7 X 2,925,577 2/60 'Cetran (it al. 339-19s 2,945,205 2/60 Dierstein 339-217 X 2,948,875 8/60. Batcheller339-217 X 3,032,603 5/62 Whitley 174-168 X FOREIGN PATENTS 309,772 4/29Great Britain.

JOSEPH SEERS, Primary Examiner. JOHN P. WILDMAN, ALFRED s. TRASK,Examiners.

2. AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL BOARD COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STRIP FOINSULATING MATERIAL HAVING OPPOSITE LONGI TUDINAL EDGES ANDSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL OPPOSITE SIDE FACES; A PLURALITY OF RECESSES INONE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGES, SAID SIDE FACES, EACH RECESS HAVING AROUNDED BETWEEN SAID SIDE FACES, EACH RECESS HAVING A ROUNDED BOTTOMPORTION, APPROXIMATELY PARALLEL SIDE PORTIONS, AND A RESTRICTED MOUTHPORTION HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SIDE PORTIONSAND DEFINING OPPOSITE SHOULDERS; AND A RESILIENT U-SHAPED METAL CLIPRECEIVED IN EACH RECESS, THE FREE END PORTIONS OF SAID CLIP BEING SPACEDAPART IN RELAXES CONDITION A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THAT BETWEEN THE SIDEPORTIONS OF SAID RECESS AND BEING RESILIENTLY PRESSED TOWARD EACH OTHERBY SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF THE RECESS, SAID CLIPBEING THEREBY PRETENSIONEDTO PRESS SAID FREE END PORTIONS RESILIENTLY AGAINST THE SIDE PORTIONNSOF THE RECESS, SAID FREE END PORTIONS ENGAGING SAID SHOULDERS TO LOCKTHE CLIP IN THE RECESS, AND THE LEG PORTIONS OF SAID CLIP HAVINGPARALLEL SIDE FLANGES ENGAGING THE OPPOSITE SIDE FACES OF THE STRIP TOPREVENT THE CLIP FROM MOVING SIDEWISE OUT OF THE RECESS.